Criminal Court “A” Presiding Judge Roosevelt Z. Willie has denied a defense lawyer’s motion to bail defendant Johnnetta Pinky Abu who was recently charged with murder for allegedly stabbing to death her fiancé Morris Johnson early this year.
In his motion, Cllr Arthur Johnson argued that the defendant is a mother of a two year-old child and that since her arrest and incarceration, the child is not in the hands of persons or individuals that the defendant prefers her child to be with.
He further argued that during police investigation there were no witnesses to prove the alleged stabbing of the deceased Johnson, adding that there is “no autopsy nor finger print to indicate that the defendant committed the crime.”
He noted that the deceased might have fallen on a sharp object which caused him to bleed, leading to his death, adding that the prosecution does not have any evidence to prove its case, so the court should grant the defendant’s motion to bail.
But prosecution lawyer Cllr. Edwin Martin argued that during the incident there were people who witnessed the alleged stabbing of the deceased whom, he said, they will produce before the court.
Cllr. Martin asserted that during police investigation the defendant admitted stabbing the deceased with a knife, noting that the prosecution will provide all necessary witnesses who will testify in the case.
The prosecution lawyer also said that the Court should deny the motion on grounds that the defendant took away a Liberian citizen’s life by stabbing him to death, stressing that bail should not be granted because the defendant committed a heinous crime.
Handing down the ruling, Judge Willie said Chapter 13.1 of the Criminal Procedure Law titled “The Right To Bail” in summary states “that every crime charged is billable under our law, but in capital offence where proof is evident and presumption great the accused shall not be entitled to bail.”
Therefore, he said motion to bail is denied and prosecution may proceed with the case.
After the court denied the motion, the defendant pleaded not guilty, but immediately broke down in tears.
It can be re-called that defendant Johnnetta Pinky Abu, a resident of the SKD Sports Complex Community was on June 14 arrested by Police for allegedly stabbing her fiancé Morris Johnson to death after he accused her of having a love affair with a certain musician.
The trial continues.
LINA
Comments are closed.